Arcade City Activates Hundreds of Philippines Drivers, Responds to LTFRB Shutdown Order

Arcade City launched service in the Philippines yesterday in the aftermath of Uber’s withdrawal which ended 66,000 driver jobs. Arcade City activated more than 200 drivers across the Philippines, with 160+ in Manila and others in Cebu City, Angeles, and Batangas.

The Land Transportation Franchising & Regulatory Board (LTFRB) issued a press release today ordering Arcade City to ‘cease operations’ in the Philippines.

Arcade City releases the following statement in response:

“We forgive the LTFRB for ordering Arcade City to ‘cease operations’ before they understood what Arcade City is and is not, specifically how Arcade City is different from Uber.”

“Arcade City does not provide ‘pre-arranged transportation services for compensation’ and therefore does not fit the LTFRB definition of a transportation network company.”

“Driver entrepreneurs may freely identify as Arcade City drivers, but Arcade City does not require payment from riders or drivers.”

Arcade City will continue recruiting and activating drivers all across the Philippines to provide service in the gap left by Uber’s abrupt withdrawal yesterday.

Arcade City embraces a new peer-to-peer model of ridesharing. Instead of controlling drivers from a corporate headquarters, Arcade City frees drivers to build up their own transportation businesses like true entrepreneurs.

Drivers are free to set their own rates, build their own recurring customer base, and offer additional services like deliveries or roadside assistance. Riders can review driver profiles in advance and choose the driver they prefer.

After Uber similarly withdrew last year from Austin, Texas (USA), Arcade City built the world’s first self-governing ridesharing network, now totaling over 43,000 members. Arcade City Austin has provided safe, reliable city-wide transportation in Austin for the past fifteen months.

“When 66,000 drivers are put out of a job overnight, the suffering is not felt by the corporations and bureaucrats who made the decision,” said Arcade City founder & CEO Christopher David. “The suffering is felt by the stranded riders and the jobless drivers who may now have difficulty providing for their families. That is wrong – and Arcade City will do whatever we can to fix it.”

For more information including app download links, visit the website.